The previous time Chris Bassitt faced the New York Mets, he pitched with the burden knowing his wife would soon be in labour.
This time around, in the Blue Jays’ 6-2 victory at Rogers Centre, it became a baseball labour of love for the eclectic Bassitt, who can be quite eccentric when breaking down an outing or any at-bat, which makes him all that more interesting.
In early June last year, Bassitt stood on the mound at Citi Field in the borough of Queens in the eighth inning as teammates patted the veteran right-hander on the back.
When manager John Schneider took the ball from Bassitt, the skipper offered the following words: “Go be a dad.”
On Monday, Bassitt emerged as the Jays’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which is presented annually in recognition of a player who best represents baseball through acts of high character such as philanthropy, community engagement and positive impact on and off the field.
His impact Tuesday night on Loonie Dogs Night was unmistakable, hands down the evening’s best player as Bassitt provided the Blue Jays with six strong innings.
One strong offensive inning for the Blue Jays was enough to even the series, which sets up Wednesday afternoon’s rubber match.
Bassitt gave up five hits, all singles, while striking out eight.
He gives $10,000 for every home win he earns to Jays Care.
No win is ever assured when the Jays have to summon their bullpen.
Brendon Little yielded a double and then issued a walk, forcing Zach Pop to enter the game.
A passed ball allowed the Mets to score a run.
Pop benefitted from a called third strike to Pete Alonso that should have been ball four, which would have brought the tying run up to the plate.
In the home half of the seventh, a Spencer Horwitz double drove in Ernie Clement, who tripled.
Genesis Cabrera started the eighth inning, reaching a season-high 99 m.p.h. on a fastball, one of eight pitches the lefty needed to retire the side in order.
In the ninth, it was Chad Green in a non-save situation, but he hasn’t pitched well of late and desperately needed a bounce-back.
Green retired the side in order.
FIRST-INNING FOLLY
Nothing, at least that’s the hope among the team’s fan base, will compare to the first-inning folly that befell Bassitt when the Oakland A’s made their final visit to Toronto knowing relocation awaits next season when the franchise will be based in Sacramento.
Oakland had quite the time in its final series, taking two out of three and producing an epic first inning against Bassitt, whose journey included a stop in the Bay Area.
Eight hits were yielded, including two home runs en route to a seven-run inning with the roof closed, a development that seemed to take Bassitt aback.
Then came a leadoff homer at Wrigley Field, followed by another leadoff belt back home when Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies turned into a one-man wrecking crew.
Against the Mets, Bassitt began his outing by surrendering back-to-back hits.
After giving up the two hits to the first two hitters he faced, Bassitt should have survived by pitching a scoreless inning.
What did him in was his defence, which isn’t new, when the Jays failed to complete a double play that seemed pretty routine.
A jam shot led to an RBI single as the Mets took a 1-0 advantage.
New York produced three hits during Monday’s 27-out game.
Following two outs Tuesday, the visitors had already matched the previous night’s total.
In other words, that’s baseball.
For Bassitt, it has been that way when it comes to the first inning.
In the second inning, Bassitt struck out the Mets in order.
One of Bassitt’s victims was Eddy Alvarez, who batted ninth in New York’s order.
Alvarez was acquired by the Mets this past weekend in a trade from the Boston Red Sox after clearing waivers.
When he arrived in Toronto, Alvarez became September’s extra positional player for the Mets.
He didn’t play in the majors prior to the Jays’ series.
For many, the 34-year-old is synonymous with the Olympics having earned a medal in both the Summer (baseball in 2020) and Winter Games (short track speed skating in 2014).
Tuesday night, he started at second base, the first time Alvarez had started in the big leagues in more than two years.
OFF THE SCHNEID(ER)
It’s no secret Davis Schneider has been scuffling.
In his past 20 games heading into Tuesday, Schneider had accounted for three hits.
After striking out in his first at-bat, Schneider ripped a two-run triple in the third inning to record his first RBI since July 29.
It was Schneider’s first triple of the season and his career second.
He would then score on a Joey Loperfido single.
Because the Mets started a lefty in David Peterson, Will Wagner was kept out of Toronto’s starting lineup.
Alejandro Kirk was behind home plate and continued his hot streak at the plate by extending his season-high hit streak to eight games when his run-scoring double gave the Jays the lead.
The inning began on a Daulton Varsho bunt single.
A throwing error allowed Varsho to advance to second, the Mets’ second gaffe of the game.
BICHETTE UPDATE
Bo Bichette began his rehab assignment Tuesday in triple-A when the Buffalo Bisons were in Georgia to face the Atlanta Braves’ affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers.
Bichette started at shortstop and batted second in Buffalo’s order.
He went 1-for-3 at the plate, and in the field was charged with a throwing error.